"What are you looking at, honey?" I smiled. He smiled back. "You. I'm looking at you.
Please let me look at you a bit longer- just a bit longer."
Adrien stared at me from his seat. We were both in the back of the car his father sent to pick us up. While Adrien sat there in stoic silence, I had my face permanently buried in the palms of my hands. All of this was happening way too fast: the engagement, moving houses, the press release, jealous women. It was much too much, and I was overwhelmed to say the least.
After a few minutes of necessary quiet, my new fiancé decided to break the miasma of depression. Well, depression on my side of the car anyway. His gentle eyes lowered onto me. "I'm so sorry, Marinette. I had no idea the papers were going to announce our engagement this morning like that." "I don't understand; how did they even find out? We just met yesterday….." I spoke, my face still covered by my palms. "That's the paparazzi for you. They're like parasites that sniff out every juicy story and never give you a moment's peace." Oh, good lord…. "Jesus, this is hell," I breathed, already exhausted.
I didn't even flinch when Adrien placed his hand on my back, rubbing it in an assuring fashion. "I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you out of the public eye- I give you my word. No one warned you about all this before our family's arrangement was finalized- clearly- but I'm not about to let you be punished for my father's secrecy. Just leave it to me; I'll take care of everything." "Everything? Even that crazy woman who accosted me back at Versailles? Thanks for warning me about her, by the way," I muttered with bitter sarcasm. I could feel Adrien cringe from here; his fingers twitched a little on my back.
"I'm sorry about her. She's…. an old friend of the family, or her dad is anyway. I'll have a word with Chloe; she'll never do that to you again," he tried his very best to sound convincing, but I wasn't buying it. I merely let out another long, overwhelmed sigh. Adrien gave my back another rub and that's when I finally peered up at him from my fingers. I found him staring back with a kind, affectionate smile on his lips.
"What are you doing?" I inquired quietly. "I'm looking at you," he answered so naturally… His reply made my eyes grow a tad. Looking at me…. That sounds so familiar; I'm sure I've heard it before, sometime ago… And from a different set of lips. I guess thinking about it was making me blush since Adrien chuckled a little, drawing back his hand to his lap. "Please, please Marinette…. I don't want you to worry about this. None of this is your fault; you did nothing wrong. I will make everything right, I promise. Please don't worry," it was as if he was almost begging me. My lips instinctively parted a sliver. "You…. remind me of someone." "Oh? Someone special?" He grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Irreplaceable," I couldn't stop but grinning in return and he chuckled again. I found it odd when he didn't ask who I was referring to. I mean, it's good he didn't! But still, odd indeed….
Adrien's eyes then drew back over onto mine. Our gazes met and his smile started to fade; his expression grew serious again. "I am sorry, Marinette. I should have foreseen this coming and warned you properly beforehand." "N-No! I-It's not your fault either. There's no way you could have known that…. that….." "That we'd be frontpage news?" He finished my sentence, side-grinning my way. I gave a giggle and nodded my head, turning it back downward facing. "Heh, exactly."
There was another moment of quiet following this, though it felt more natural now. Adrien leaned back against his cushion, also staring off forward into space. "What a day…. And it's not even over yet." "Is there any way I can skip tonight's dinner?" I didn't have much faith that Mr. Agreste would allow that but thought I might as well try anyway. Sadly Adrien's head shook from side to side. "I don't think Father would let either of us miss it." "That's what I thought…." Another pause ensued here. I sensed Adrien's eyes back on me. "It won't be too long. Even if we have to attend, I'm sure Father won't stop us from going to bed early… considering today's events," he uttered the last part with some animosity. "Hmmmmmm, you sure about that?" "Er, no; but I'll ask all the same." "To be honest, your dad really scares me," I admitted freely, sensing that he'd know the feeling. Turns out I was right. He chuckled a second time that car ride, lowering his head a bit. "Heh, me too. He can be terrifying….. when he wants to be." "You're very strong, dealing with that for all these years." Adrien's shoulder shrugged. "Eh, I have my outlets. I've suffered through extreme pain, but I've experienced the most real, profoundest happiness too. Despite my homelife, I've been happier than I ever thought possible for any man." "Really?" My eyes crept his way again. Of course he was still looking at me…. Looking at me and smiling like always. I could never understand why he looked at me that way….
"You have no idea."
